The Toronto Raptors (40-16) shored up their frontline by acquiring center Marc Gasol, 34, from the Memphis Grizzlies shortly before the NBA trade deadline.

Center Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies posts up Jonas Valanciunas from the Toronto Raptors during a game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Image: Nelson Chenault/USA Today Sports)

Gasol, a 7-foot-1 center, averaged 15.2 points and 7.7 rebounds a game over his ten-year career. The LA Lakers drafted him out of Spain in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft.

Gasol vs. Freak

The Raptors are making a run for the NBA Finals, but the Bucks stand in their way. Furthermore, team hopes Gasol’s experience will pay off during the postseason.

“Marc brings significant playoff experience to our team,” said Raptors president Masai Ujiri. “Along with his savviness and leadership skills really helps position us for our ultimate postseason goal. We look forward to welcoming Marc to our city and team.”

The Raptors sought out Gasol for his defense, since they were unable to stop the Greek Freak.

“There’s a lot of positives with a guy like Gasol,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse. “Most of them come with being battle-tested. We all know that those playoffs can get wild and woolly. He’s a guy that’s been through them many times.”

The Bucks (41-13) and Raptors are the only teams in the NBA that reached the 40-win plateau. The Raptors have the second-best record in the NBA, but they are 1-3 against the Bucks and the Greek Freak this season.

East in Flux

The Eastern Conference playoff standings have three tiers. The Bucks and Raptors are jockeying for the top seed, with the Bucks currently ahead by two games. The Pacers, Celtics, and Sixers are stuck in the middle with one game separating the group. That chase group is six games out of first place. The third and bottom tier includes four are fighting for the final three spots in the East: Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons.

The Bucks were mentioned as one of the teams where Anthony Davis wanted the Pelicans to trade him. The Pelicans stood pat and didn’t deal their disgruntled All-Star. Instead, the Bucks picked up Nikola Mirotic (16.7 ppg, 8.3 rebound) in a three-team trade.